giffords and her husband, mark kelly, made an emotional appeal to congress to expand background checks to gun shows and private sales. >> too many children are dying. too many children you must act. be bold. be courageous. >> my wife would not be sitting in this seat. she would not have been sitting here today if we had stronger background checks. >> but the national rifle association chair, wayne lapierre, came out aggressively against background checks, arguing that the legislation which has the best chance in congress will do nothing to stem gun violence. >> my problem with background checks is you're never going to get criminals to go through universal background checks. >> we'll stop them from the original purchase. you miss that point completely. and i think it's basic. >> senator, i think you missed -- >> let there be order! >> and lapierre tried to turn the debate back on the administration. >> drug dealers with guns, gangs with guns, and felons with guns. they're simply not bei ining enforced. the numbers are shocking. in chicago, in one of the worst areas in the country for g